


I’ll Take Care of You

by thepoeticflower



Series: It All Started With a Fake Date [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic, soft boyfriends loving each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 19:28:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12372459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepoeticflower/pseuds/thepoeticflower
Summary: Due to his momentarily hectic life, Alec has a brutal headache brewing and Magnus has every intention on taking care of him, even if Alec isn’t too fond of people taking care of him.





	I’ll Take Care of You

Alec squinted at the paper in front of him during his planning period, acutely aware of the pressure and pain building up stronger behind his eyes. He released a ragged breath through his parted lips as his eyelids slipped closed. His fingertips pressed into his temples, massaging and kneading to no avail. It was beyond applying pressure, beyond the medication he had dry swallowed shortly before lunch. Between the sleepless nights he had been having and his work-related stress, it all was meant to come to a head eventually. 

With a labored breath, he forced his eyes open when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket.   

_‘Are you feeling any better?’_  

Alec nearly regretted texting Magnus during his lunch break, telling him his head hurt. The other man hadn’t responded at the time as he was busy in the courtroom. But in the scheme of things, mentioning his headache had been such an afterthought compared to everything else he mentioned about his day. Alec spouted off about how Jace was still staying at his apartment due to renovations in his own, hence the sleepless nights. He and Jace kept vastly different hours as his best friend worked for the NYPD and generally worked late into the afternoon or night.

Unfortunately, for Alec, his best friend had no concept of being quiet, which made no damn sense given that he was a cop. Even after having a shoe chucked at him, Jace just didn’t understand that what he thought was quiet drove Alec up the wall. Ear plugs bothered Alec, as did headphones, so he’d jolt awake with every noise. And don’t get Alec started on Jace’s snoring.

And then, he complained about a homophobic comment a parent made in an email while requesting a conference with Alec. While Alec was entirely open about his homosexuality, he didn’t make it a point to bring up his personal life to the kids or to the other teachers other than Aline. The comment in the email got under his skin and his response to the parent had been a bit more clipped than his normal demeanor. It astounded him in this day and age that people still held such ignorant opinions.

He rambled on end about his sister’s boyfriend, who he didn’t much care for. Mostly, he didn’t mind the guys his sister brought home, but this one rubbed him the wrong way from the start.

And yet, despite all of his long-winded texts about every little thing, Magnus honed in on his headache and Alec wasn’t one for people fussing over him. 

_‘Not really. But I only have another hour and a half. I’ll duck out right after school’s out.’_

_‘I’ll stop by and check on you when I get out of work.’  
_

Alec wasn’t precisely sure how to respond to his statement. Because it wasn’t an offer that allowed him to potentially turn it down. Having a boyfriend who cared so deeply about his well-being felt odd and he was still adjusting to it. They’d been officially together a couple of months now and things just continued to grow steadily more serious. Magnus had already met his family, parents included, and charmed them all. Not that Alec was surprised by that. Magnus had a way about him that lacked all the awkwardness that Alec exuded.

_’That isn’t entirely necessary, Magnus. I’ll probably just go to sleep after closing all of the curtains in my apartment.’_

_’Alexander, you aren’t feeling well. I’m coming over to check on you. I distinctly remember a certain hungover boyfriend of mine showing up a few weeks ago with some chicken noodle and a key to his apartment when I wasn’t well a couple of weeks ago. I might as well put the key you gave me to good use.’_

Magnus acquiring a key was spontaneous on Alec’s part. Only people Alec trusted through and through ever received a key and it spoke volumes considering Raj never received one. Alec hadn’t been home a couple of weeks ago. He had ventured into Jersey with Jace for some band at a bar in Hoboken. Magnus felt under the weather after a long day (actually a long week) at the office. Having forgotten that Alec was heading to Jersey for the night, he had gotten all the way to the apartment to have to turn back and go all the way home. Alec decided after hearing his story that Magnus should have a key to his apartment for emergencies like that. He worked so close to Alec’s apartment and if he didn’t feel like going home, whether Alec was home or not, it should be an option for him.

_’Okay.’_ He left it at that because honestly, he had never been one to seek out comfort. An unexpected warmth pooled into his chest at the thought of someone actively wanting to take care of him.

His planning period ended too soon and he found himself faced with a group of hyper, post gym class seven-year-olds, who seemed louder than normal. Instead of his planned lesson for the last hour of the school day, he saddled the kids up with some busy work, to their dismay. Worksheets meant their chattering continued, but the increasing pressure in Alec’s head ceased all coherent trains of thought. His eyes stared without seeing at the math tests he should have been grading. He glanced up a few times, making sure none of the kids were trying to kill one another or getting up to anything suspicious.

He gathered up the worksheets shortly before the bell was set to ring. He offered up a weak smile to the kids as he let them grab their coats and backpacks a bit earlier than normal. Alec’s jaw clenched tightly as the bell rang, his breath hitching as a vicious pain shot through his skull. Once the last of the kids cleared out of the room, he switched the lights off and closed the door, before sinking down into his chair. Pressing his face into the cool surface of his desk, he released a slow breath. He remained like that until the hallways grew silent, but at that point even the clock ticking on the wall sent painful pulses through his head.

He grabbed his phone from his pocket and turned the brightness all the way down before texting Jace. He told him he needed to stay elsewhere that night because he had a terrible headache that couldn't handle Jace's version of silence. Grabbing the sunglasses he had in his desk, he slipped them over his eyes before taking a few steadily breaths. As he walked through the hallways slowly, he breathed through clenched teeth, trying to keep his nausea at bay. As much as Alec hated to do it, uber seemed like his best option to get home because hailing a taxi seemed impossible in his current condition and walking was out of the question.

Aline spotted him right when he was squinting through his sunglasses to set up a pickup.

She sighed softly when she reached him, “You’re looking positively green, Lightwood. I’ll give you a lift home.” He may have mentioned his head hurting to her during lunch to avoid planning a double date with her and Helen.

”Still weird that you own a car.”

”It saves you from idle chatter with an uber driver though. C’mon, you stubborn man.”

”’M not stubborn.” Focusing on stringing together words into a sentence hurt.

”Right. A sensible person would have texted me to give them a ride home instead of stumbling through the hallway with the intent of grabbing an uber.” She placed a hand on his back, leading him through the hallways and then through the city streets to the garage she used less than a block away.

He closed his eyes tightly once seated, breathing solely through his nose now. The ride seemed relatively smooth considering he knew how terrible Aline normally drove.

”See you Monday, Alec. Feel better.”

He flashed her a small, pained smile before getting out of the car and over to his building. The mindless trip to his apartment once inside the building took longer than usual it seemed. Everything seemed to be slowed down to an impossible speed, including Alec who swayed with every step. Finally reaching his door after stumbling out of the elevator he rarely used and using the wall as a guide, he fumbled with his keys. It took him a full minute to get his key in the keyhole before unlocking the door.

Locking the door behind himself, he placed his keys and wallet down on the counter before gripping the walls on the way to his room. As much as he wanted to collapse as soon as he closed the door and saw his bed, the light filtering into the room blinded him even with his sunglasses still on. With massive effort, he drew the blinds and curtains closed before toeing off his shoes.

Sliding his sunglasses off his face, Alec buried his face into his pillows and pulled an extra pillow on top of his head. His fingers curled into the pillow case as a muffled sob escaped his lips. He wasn’t sure how long it was before he finally passed out, finally succumbing to the severe pain.

* * *

Magnus stopped at his favorite apothecary, grabbing some essential oils he used when he had a headache. Although, knowing Alec, it probably wasn’t a normal headache. He grabbed a bottle of migraine pain relievers before heading to the checkout, just to be safe. Magnus texted with Ragnor as he walked over to Alec’s apartment building.

_’Lovesick and pathetic aren’t a good look on you, Magnus.’_

_’Coming from the recluse who told me that if love ever presented itself to me, I should do everything in my power to cease it.’_

_’I was on painkillers after a surgery. Those can make a person sentimental.’_

_’You told Raphael you love him.’_

_’We all agreed to never mention that again.’_

_’Did we? I can’t recall.’_ Magnus smirked when he received a text with about twenty or so middle finger emojis. _'Congrats on finally using emojis. Make sure you thank Raphael for his help.'_

Magnus ignored the final text he received as he had finally reached Alec’s building. He smiled and waved at a random tenant, who gave him a weird look for the display of friendliness. Magnus shrugged before stepping into the elevator and taking it to Alec’s floor. The floor was relatively silent when he stepped out of the elevator, which wasn’t always the case as Magnus encountered on more than one occasion. Grabbing his keys from his pocket, he tried to be as silent as possible when opening the door and slipping inside. Once out of his shoes, he went around the apartment, drawing all of the window treatments closed, just in case Alec ventured out of his room while his head was still hurting.

Going to the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of water from the cabinet, figuring lukewarm water was a better idea. Magnus moved quietly, each footfall silent as opened the door leading to Alec’s room. He frowned as his love tossed and turned restlessly in his bed, hair matted to his head with sweat. Magnus sighed soundlessly before sitting down on the bed, the essential oils, box of migraine medication, and water in hand.

Magnus brushed his thumb tenderly against Alec’s cheek. He whispered softly, “Alexander, love, wake up.”

Alec choked out a painful moan before burying his face into the pillows, his fingers curling up into his hair. Magnus placed a soothing hand on his back, rubbing gently.

He kept his tone low, “Alexander, have you taken anything for the pain?”

"Not since before lunch," Alec muffled out pathetically. Magnus glanced at the time on his phone and figured it was long enough since the last dosage. With careful hands, he turned Alec over, despite his protests. “You need more medicine and we’ll try some homeopathic remedies my mother taught me when I was a boy.”

Magnus stopped talking as every single word caused Alec to wince visibly. As quietly as possible, he opened the bottle and got two pills out before helping Alec take them with the bottle of water. With careful, steady hands, he directed him back into the pillows before grabbing the bottles of essential oils. He opened the two bottles and put a few drops of both the peppermint and lavender oils onto his fingertips. Magnus massaged the oils into Alec’s temples with light touches.

Alec released a pained noise, his hand clutching Magnus’s arm. Magnus let one of his hands drift down to Alec’s cheek, cupping it. He whispered as softly as he could, “Try to relax, love. Being tense will only make it worse.” Magnus leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his nose before letting his fingertips drift back to his temples. He continued massaging until he felt Alec relax under his touches and his breathing leveled off. With a sigh, Magnus went over to Alec’s drawers and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of sleep bottoms before going to his ensuite bathroom to change. He changed out of his suit and into the clothing, knowing Alec wouldn’t mind and he obviously didn’t want to leave him like this.

Magnus left the bathroom and headed out into the living room, not wanting to disrupt Alec’s sleep. Grabbing his bag he had placed on the floor by the door, he sat down on Alec’s couch and started working on some cases.

* * *

Alec woke up a few hours later, the pain a mere memory. He groaned as he sat up, his muscles and joints feeling a bit stiff. A soft glow of light could be seen from under his door. Pushing himself off of the bed, he shuffled over to his dresser and changed into some pajamas before heading to the door and then into the living room. Magnus was sprawled across the couch in some of _his_ clothes, watching something on Netflix with the volume off and subtitles on.

“Hey,” Alec said lamely, his brain unable to wrap around Magnus wearing his clothes. There was something so damned intimate about it, especially when unexpected.

“Hello, darling. Feeling better?” He smiled warmly at Alec, sitting up and patting the now available space beside him. Alec sat down beside him, curling a bit into Magnus’s side, resting his head on his shoulder.

”Much better. Thanks to you.” He pressed a kiss to Magnus’s shoulder before nuzzling his cheek against it.

Magnus chuckled lowly, his fingers stroking Alec’s hair. “You hungry? We could order something in.”

”Sounds like a plan since we both are basically dressed for bed.”

”You don’t mind, do you?” He plucked at the shirt he was wearing, giving Alec a sly grin.

Alec laughed, shaking his head, “Not at all. It’s pretty hot, actually.”

Magnus smirked, “Is that so? You’ll have to show me just how hot later.”

”Dinner can wait, you know.” Alec flushed a bit at his own forwardness. But he found himself less and less embarrassed to express what he wanted when concerning Magnus and the intimate parts of their relationship.

”I’m starved, Alexander. It’s almost eight thirty and you have the worst snacks.”

”Okay, okay. Dinner and then _dessert_.” He nipped his shoulder.

”If you’re feeling up to it. You were just writhing in pain a few hours ago.” Magnus said, giving Alec a serious look, his lips turning down into a frown. “Do you get those frequently?”

Alec sighed and righted himself, knowing this conversation was coming, “Only when I’m sleep deprived and stressed.”

Magnus rolled his eyes, “You need to start taking care of yourself better, Alexander. We can do a yoga class together, that’ll be good for stress. As for the sleep deprivation, hopefully Jace will get back into his apartment sooner rather than later.” Magnus pulled out his phone, using Postmates to deliver from their favorite Thai restaurant.

”You’re one to talk, you know. You get headaches and you were just sick a couple of weeks ago.” Alec’s accusations lacked any heat, but he had to admit that he worried about Magnus.

Alec felt Magnus tense beside him. “This isn’t about me.”

”We’re in a relationship. I care about you as much as you care about me. I’m allowed to worry about your well-being too. And I do worry. Because, well, I love you.” Alec said it so bluntly, as he did most things. It seemed like the most natural confession that could have come out of him.

”You love me?” Magnus asked, a flicker of raw emotion, of vulnerability passed Magnus’s face almost as fast as it came.

Alec brushed at the back of his head, trying his best to maintain eye contact. “Well, yeah. Of course, I do.”

“I love you too.” Magnus responded, a soft smile on his lips now. He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Magnus’s. He felt Magnus fighting a smile as they kissed before he pressed his forehead to Alec’s. They gazed at each other lovingly, not saying a word up until their food arrived.

Magnus came back from the door, a certain swagger to his steps. He handed the bag to Alec before heading to the kitchen for plates. He handed one to him with a grin, “Dinner. And then all you can eat dessert.” Magnus winked before sinking down beside him, the two of them tucking in almost immediately.

**Author's Note:**

> Come visit my [tumblr](http://asexualalexanderlightwood.tumblr.com).


End file.
